PL MINUTES 07161985 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

-3- 1 all utility easements in the final document,. just as they had, requested, and he • 2 con f4 that the City would now have access to, but not ownership of, those 3 easements. 4 5 Commissioner Jones indicated he believed the existing heavy overhead utility 5 lines servicing that property would detract .from the -appearance and value of the 7 homes to be built there. It was his contention that these 'l,ines and the lines if 8 servicing the individual `lots should._ be placed underground. He was, referred to 9 page 9 of the February Commission minutes which reported the developer 's re- 10 sponse to the same suggestion from Commissioner Hansen, "that the lines are 11 already in on Edward and the -homeowners would have the option of having service 12 run underground to their property at a higher charge" . 13 14 The Manager said- when he had put the same, question to-'the' NSP Representative, 15 he had been told changing, those lines wou'ld.just not be cost effective. Mr. 16 Childs said the NSP posit-ion-,-had seemed reasonable at that time because the same 17 representative had 'been most .cooperattve in providing underground lines to the 18 Hertog property, which is also being redeveloped. When -Commissioner Jones 19 questioned whether such heavy- duty lines would now be necessary since both 20 florist businesses are gone, the Manager speculated that those lines also serviced 21 the area of 33rd Avenue N.E. , and Commissioner Bjorklund told Commissioner Jones, 22 "florist shops don't normally -use a lot of electricity". 23 24 Commissioner Jones said he found such heavy overhead lines in front of residences 25 to be "obnoxious and ludicrous in a new development and said he perceived it 26 should be the City' s- responsibility to; protect- future buyers of those lots from • 27 having their properties downgraded' in this manner. He also .pointed out the 28 potential danger to a child if one of those heavy lines is knocked down in the 29 type of storm that area experienced' a.year ago: The Commissioner was also 30 certain the City's Comprehensive Plan- called for underground service to all new 31 projects. 32 33 The Chair commented -that the buyers who had already been found for two of the 34 Johnson lots must have seen -the high wires which would run in front of their 35 homes before they agreed to purchase that property, but she indicated she per- 36 ceived Commissioner Jones might have a point about the potential for danger 37 from a falling wire. 38 39 Commissioner Bjorklund said he certainly agreed with Commissioner Jones that it 40 would be preferable not to have those heavy wires running in front of the project, 41 especially since he has seen -how new developments are built in other municipalities. 42 However, he wondered if the Johnson project could be considered a "big project" 43 as compared to the ones he was referring to. Commissioner Bjorklund indicated 44 he perceived it might be a real financial burden to force the developer to pay 45 for the cost of putting the existing lines underground if NSP refuses to do so. 46 . Commissioner Jones wondered' if that cost would be quite so heavy if the cost 47 of the lots were taken into consideration. Mr. Childs said he would contact the 48 utility company again. 49 50 Motion by Commissioner Bjorklund and seconded by Commissioner Bowerman to 51 recommend Council approval of the final platting for Johnson Manor, a nine lot • 52 and two outlots subdivision between 33rd and 34th Avenues N.E. , east of Edward 53 Street, as presented in the final plat for the project,.. at the same time mention- 54 ing that, although there. was significant concern expres`sed- during the Commission 55 consideration that all utility lines which serviced the project should be